The Hunt
by MadAndInBloom
Summary: With over 10 years of each walking their separate paths, Zero and Kaname are finally reunited due to a peculiar chain of events. With so many aspects of their lives modified, will their relationship develop, or will it remain the same?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters belonging to the manga._

**Author's note**: This is merely the beginning of what will surely turn out to be quite a big story. The main pairing is ZxK (eventually) but there will be bits of AidouxYuuki and other such occurrences. The action takes place 10 years after the Kurans and their entourage have left Cross Academy, with Kaname established as the head of the Vampire Council(or Senate as some call it) and Zero as one of the top hunters in the HA, in line for the position of President.

Please feel free to leave suggestions, point out errors in spelling and/or review(it gives me inspiration and energy to continue the story). Depending on the length of the chapters(the word count will vary from 3000 to +10.000 words), I might update once every month or so. Thank you for reading and please share your opinions with me. All I ask is that you do not bash. Content may not be suitable for everyone so rating M for now.

Word count: 4,040 Author: So, what do you think? Please review and let me know.

**_Dedicated to Francesca , a dear friend who practically loomed over my shoulder as I wrote this._**

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><p><strong><em> Chapter 1: Blood<em>**

Two sets of sharp eyes monitored the movement below from their nest, camouflaged by the fallen leaves and the light brown earth surrounding them. A distant swish echoed through the valley, but the humans did not hear it, that much was sure. It was approaching the family having a picnic at the base of the cliffs with remarkable speed.

A fluid speck of gold travelled the space between the Everglade forest and the playing children, two sets of eagle eyes focusing on it, beginning to distinguish platinum gold hair swishing in a tail of light and what seemed to be a beautiful kimono. It reached the children in a matter of seconds and, for a moment, as the figure stopped to pick up the two babes, the eagles could distinguish turquoise eyes , an aristocratic face, a silver dragon embroidery and a light green obi adorning the kimono, white socks and black zori landing on the soft leaves…Golden Ai. In the next second, the woman disappeared in a trail of blond light, effortlessly carrying the children whilst walking at pureblood speed.

Two sets of brown wings fluttered and, in the blink of an eye, silver and black were trailing behind blond towards the emerald hills. As the pureblood stepped in the woods, a figure clothed in black appeared before her and a silver blur stepped behind. Without even stopping, she shifted both children on her right side; her left hand unsheathed a large katana from the surprisingly tight folds of her yukata and, stepping elegantly towards the right side, maneuvered the sword to the neck of the man standing in front of her. The male effortlessly caught the blade, blood dripping sluggishly from a small dent in his palm and extended his other hand, gripping her surprisingly soft neck.

"Ai Tanaka, you are under arrest by the hunter association for kidnapping and murdering twenty-seven children in the past month. Please do not cause a struggle and allow us to escort you to the association's headquarters." The man's violet eyes didn't even flinch as he regarded his supposed superior. Lightly furrowed brows and motionless face muscles completed the mask of impassivity. Purebloods pick up fear in a matter of seconds and kill very swiftly, at the first sign of distraction. This one clearly was no exception.

"How dare you hold my gaze, you pathetic waste of vampire blood?" Her eyes held cold fury within them, enraged by the audacity this lower level had portrayed. The blade moved as swiftly as wind, almost a blur even to the trained eye, towards the hand holding her neck this time. With a mastered flick of the wrist, the katana sheathed itself in the forearm's tender flesh, blood gushing out. She smiled, preparing for the slackened hand to fall from her throat so she could embed the length deep within the torso, ripping the organs and creating the mesmerizing sight of freely flowing blood. Although this man's crimson essence could not be compared with the purity flowing within these children, the potent smell and unique aroma quite made up for it. Maybe she should consider taking him with her, if only to paint her world sangria once more, to smell the incomparable scent of pure hunter hatred sadly soiled by level D, that which their kind so adamantly despised. Whomever had bestowed such a fate on this man surely had a fine sense of irony. Although she would never drink from such a lowlife, the smell his blood would do well to cheer her up in the mornings as his kind, the hunters, had been tracking her for quite a while and restraining her movements. Gone were the days when her villa in the mountains would be painted with the sangria essence of her foes, when she could wake up to the taste of pure infantile blood flowing freely from alabaster skin, mesmerized young eyes watching her with dull, doll-like admiration. When she could bathe in virginal blood to retain her beauty after six millennia spent in this world. Yes, crimson was the only color that brought her world to life and she would do anything to obtain it. She hated the hunters, what they'd reduced her to, forcing her to hunt and hide like a level E beast which had no home, had no pride whatsoever. Yet she did not expect them to make such a bold move so soon. The thought of her natural foes brought her back to the present, as the man's hand did not slack; only gripping tighter. She watched engulfed by the scenery as crimson liquid turned into silver vines that rapidly grew, snaking around the sword, up the pureblood's arm and around her neck and chest, effectively trapping her. Lilac thorns punctured her flesh and drove lethal poison into the now pliant body. Her last coherent thought before she passed out was that she'd been tricked and captured by a lower level that would have to be taught a lesson for his insolence.

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><p>Silence encompassed the two whilst Zero carried the barely breathing pureblood slouched over his right shoulder, the beautiful woman now grotesquely resembling a dusted sack of potatoes. The visible contrast between what she'd once been and what she had been reduced to actually frightened the younger of the two. In this moment, he realized that it was men like the hunter before him who facilitated the crumbling of empires and assassinations of political leaders, but it was also men like him that could restore the balance between humans and vampires, that could bring a peace unlike anything ever seen before. But he doubted the ex-human had any intention of focusing his energies and policies as a future head of the Association in that direction. For Kiryuu, the only visible option was the eradication of the vampire race as a whole, starting with their leaders, the fearsome purebloods.<p>

Zero paid no heed to the exhausted rookie struggling to keep up the pace. Despite the fact that they'd trekked over fifty miles, he didn't seem bothered by the heavy silence or the prickly wind which had only picked up in the valley during their travel back to the Association. He simply kept on walking at an alert pace, precautious since these woods were once infected with level D's and E's and, due to the sheer expanse of the foliage, the hunters were never able to extirpate every last one of them, even after four consecutive campaigns and the Second Hunter War, which had drawn vampires from every corner of the world out. Some say it had been the purebloods calling out inferior levels, whilst others just grimly asses that the stench of rotting carcasses and fresh blood would have drawn out any blood-sucking monster.

Gathering the courage to speak, the young cadet managed to utter the question which had been nagging him:"Why do you hate vampires, especially purebloods, so much, Zero-sama? There are others that in those bloody times have lost everything to the other side, even vampires, yet most have managed to either forget or forgive. "Zero didn't answer the man, but a warning frown appeared on his ethereal features. Had he gone too far? Maybe but, if this man was the future President of the Association, then he would have to dull his prejudice against the other race. After all, the Hunter Association under Yagari and the Vampire Council led by Kaname Kuran had been preserving a new peace for over ten years now. Sure, they'd had to be more understanding but the vampires had actually been helpful and almost no hostility had been registered for over nine of those ten years. Kuran had made sure to eradicate those vampires who were adept to having ex-human slaves and those who had interests which counteracted with those of the Association which were now almost identical with the Council. In short, peace had been obtained, and these two organisations had started cooperating. What was to come of this was yet unknown, but one thing was sure: in this world, people like his lieutenant and those low-level vampires had actually managed to build a place of their own. So, if he had to push him in order to maintain this peace, he would gladly do it." I suppose that the least I deserve for coming with you and taking the blame over seven times for your exposure to purebloods is an answer to my question. Soon, Zero-sama will be my leader, and I would like to at least understand his views on this problem." He concluded, slightly distracted by his own thoughts.

"Such matters do not concern you; I have my own reasons to ..." here, Zero stopped, clearly searching for a milder, more politically correct term for the situation"... dislike them. But, if you must know, some of the reasons are that they haven't always been so upfront and honest with us, they are hedonistic by nature and unpredictable. What happens if they've had different agendas from the start and someday decide to attack us? Or, because you seem so convinced that they are innocent, what happens if they someday change their minds? If they betray our alliance because it doesn't suit their interests? Do not contradict me; you know they are perfectly capable. There is no real link between hunters and vampires and this makes our alliance weak. What if, someday, the Kuran fall? We will almost surely enter a war. That is why I prefer to keep my scepticism. Have I answered your question well, kiddo?" he finished in a light tone, smirk clearly mocking Akira for his attempt at discussing politics when he was no older than 17.

Noticing that there was no way to change his views right now, Akira decided to pray that someday Zero would become close to another vampire, maybe as close as he and Emma were. Knowing the gentle woman, it was very hard for him to keep a realistic view on his initial enemies recently turned allies. And, to top it, it would probably do Zero a world of good to interact with his kind...if his growing frustration was anything to go by. Not that Zero hadn't retained most of his hunter aspects, but he had almost imperceptibly changed from the 18 year old man the toddler Akira had first met. He had become more violent during missions, quiet and slightly agitated around other hunters and always in a foul mood. Maybe he needed blood, but, knowing the man, he hadn't had a single drop since he'd accidentally mauled that level B that'd mistaken him for a servant. Very bad move on the noble's part. He'd ended up a pile of ash next to a very pissed off, nearly demented Zero. But that had been 4 years ago and, if the books on vampire feeding were accurate, Zero shouldn't have lasted more than six months.

A voice startled him from his reverie, at which point he realised they were about two miles away from the HA in town."…and remember that you injected her with a compound derived for the toxicPasque flower, that should manage convince the elders that it was you who apprehended her. Although I suspect that, even if I was careful, Yagari will figure it out instantly. The others won't question it, but he will definitely know you're incapable of hunting purebloods ... yet" he said, a smirk gracing his face again.

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><p>"Well, this is a surprise" his leader remarked whilst eyeing the bound pureblood gingerly residing in the armchair facing him. "How did you manage to capture her, Akira?"<p>

The young hunter fidgeted nervously, trying to remember the entire conversation he'd had with Zero and his further explanations about the compound but, before he could even utter a word in his defence, the President added: "Don't even bother, it's clear this is Kiryuu's work. As you know, I've asked all the junior cadets not to aid him because of the high risk these missions pose to Zero's life. He is a valuable asset to both sides, but let's put it frank: purebloods can control him because he is a level D vampire. Natural order dictates that level A's are superior and therefore command any level below them. Just the thought of Kiryuu submitting to a different will makes my skin crawl. Still, he takes these chances because that's just how Zero is." Losing his patience, the man added" you are supposed to stop him from doing anything reckless, that's why you're his partner!" taking a breather, Yagari concluded: "That's why I've forbidden you both to go on high level hunting missions, yet you both disobey me! And I thought I'd finally managed to pair him right this time. Damn." Pausing to look the young man in the eye whilst absentmindedly lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, he finally asked the question that would make the difference between 2 months of probation and 6 months of suspension: "Do you understand now why you must not aid Kiryuu-san?" His tone was calm, yet his eyes betrayed a storm of fury within their greyish blue depths.

Lifting his gaze from the ground and stammering, Akira managed to answer his boss: "Yes, Yagari-sempai, I understand, but I had no choice! Kiryuu threatened me!" His eyes registered shock as he processed the answer he'd given. Yes, Zero had threatened him with bodily harm, but that was nothing new. He knew helping him would be wrong, but he'd never seen the man so determined in his life. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the victims were children, old enough to walk and talk, but young enough to retain their purity and fresh fragrance. Or maybe it was what she did with the blood. She didn't drink all of it, like any normal pureblood (well, normally insane) would do, she bathed in it. What kind of twisted mind would do so? And the worst is that the Association couldn't do a thing. But now, thanks to Zero, they had a witness, the only problem being the Council which would never accept a pureblood to be accused of anything. They were, after all, by law, sacred.

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><p>Pure white surrounding her, blinding in its vastness. That was her first impression when she woke up from the drug-induced sleep. Luxurious pearl coloured cushions padding the walls and door in rhombus patterns, ivory wood panels tastily arranged on the floor with immaculate precision, resembling the panelling in her villa. Cream neon continuously flickered in rhythm with the waves of electricity travelling through the power grid, emitting a faint buzz which was only amplified by the otherwise complete silence in the room. It rang in her skull, picked up and multiplied by her sensitive ears, driving her mad with the monotony of it all. Here, time seemed to stand still, pause as it washed away any thought of freedom or of the outside world. She supposed this room had been specially built to induce a certain desperation and sense of abandonment or to demoralise and simply mentally tire the prisoners. Well, not just any prisoners, but purebloods, mind you.<p>

She felt her arms straining, muscles tiring form overexertion. This position was simply inadequate. Two thick titanium ropes were attached on one end to the upped left and right corners of the room and on the other end tied all around her forearms and wrists, holding her hands at a 90° angle, torso almost flush against her thighs to prevent her shoulders from dislocating whilst hunter magic from said ropes slowly depleted her pureblood powers. At this point, Ai realised she didn't even have the strength to move her mouth, not to mention try to escape. She was as powerless as a newborn human baby.

The same type of ropes were tied around her calves, and secured around the legs of the elegant ivory chair, effectively immobilising her in a sitting position in the middle of the room. 'Just like a sitting duck' she thought bitterly. And if that wasn't enough, they'd dressed her in a corset that restrained the chest's movements to a minimum, so much so that she was barely able to breathe, and gagged her. When she'd woken up, Ai had deemed this the last straw and had tried to escape. The result had been that her forearms and wrists were now bleeding sluggishly in some places, titanium embedded securely in place, preventing her already severely affected healing powers to function. This was torture, she realised with horror. She'd never been treated like this in all her 7000 years of existence, and it terrified her to think that such fate could ever befall a pureblood. Ironically, she now understood why humans were so afraid of their so called Hell and, as the words all hope abandon ye who enter here came to mind, she realized she had to do anything to escape; even behave civil in front of those blood bags who kept her captive.

It took her a while to remember at first, but supposed she'd ended up in this predicament due to that drug he'd given her after she'd refused to speak in front of their president without a representative. That white-haired demon that'd captured her had smirked and claimed that he'd make sure she gets one. Now, as Tanaka felt him approaching, she wondered how much time had passed since she'd been trapped in her, below the Headquarters of the Hunter Agency. Had the filthy half-breed come to mock her? Or was he just passing by? But that doubt easily vanished from Ai's mind when the hunter reached the cell's door her dimmed senses feeling him grab the lever and pull it down. The macabre screech emitted by the lead door as the mechanism lifted it from the floor did nothing to soothe her worries. What if the level D had come to bleed her dry? After all, weren't all vampires governed by their need for blood, the purer and younger, the better? This was all just a game of survival, so what if there had to be some casualties? At least she hadn't been as cruel as other purebloods and kept them as pets. She'd killed and given those children a proper burial. Who was he to judge her?

The blinding white light started filtering from the room she was in through the ever growing crack, time dilating as she watched the door lift open, in a sort of reversed deja-vu she did not remember witnessing. She noticed that the hall the man had walked from was dark and barely lit, comfortable for vampire eyes, this further proving their intention to psychologically torture and mock her. Despite being in an uncomfortable situation, Ai did not focus on the pain or the smell of her blood which wafted in the room, but cautiously analyzed the white-haired man's movements as he walked towards her. She noticed that he'd been affected by her blood, but only a little as the outer rings of his irises turned crimson, a fact which served to calm her as she'd seen level Es become mad at the mere smell of human blood, irises engulfed in vivid crimson whilst their gaze turned hollow and lifeless . Such weak reaction reassured her that he will not bite unless he actually wanted to, and that chance was slim to none since the hatred in his eyes suggested he'd rather see her burn in hell. Also, it made her curious as to how he'd become so used to the smell that his body barely reacted.

For the first time, she saw him dressed in his hunter attire, which her initial suspicions that he was the servant of one of her pureblood enemies, a spy for the Association. Maybe she still had a chance to get out of this situation unscathed even after all the supposed "atrocities" she'd committed. Please, they were just necessary casualties to suffice her thirst and desire for perfection. Children were pure, unspoiled by pain, drugs, alcohol or hatred, fact which gave their blood a sweet aroma incomparable even to that of other purebloods. Sure, they had weaker blood, but the taste was worth the bother. And it was her right, after all. These weak purebloods that hid their true nature behind walls of politeness and facades were just plain cowards. Even this vampire before her was more courageous. She could read in his eyes and demeanour that he usually got what he desired. Dressed in a suit and a black trench coat, collar hiding his pale neck whilst a white scorched shirt and a black slim tie adorned his torso and neck, he was the picture of professionalism and a typical hunter. His semi scowl completed the stoic look. She was willing to bet that, if he'd been born a pureblood, he would've been an impressive leader, maybe even as fascinating as Rido-sama, definitely more assertive and dominating than the current Kuran .Despite her vivid hatred for the man, she could not help but feel glad that someone had come to fill the despicable void she'd been in for quite some time. His presence helped her calm down, the sound of his normal pulse a sweet melody to deprived ears. Suddenly, his low, sensual voice woke her from her musings, startling her with the detached tone.

"How are you feeling Tanaka-sama?" a polite question, were it not for the malicious, mocking undertone. He knew she couldn't speak; it was as obvious as the gag protruding from her widely open mouth. She could feel her jaws almost popping from the unrelenting pressure. "Is there anything I can get you?" was another insolent question that followed the first. Again, complete silence as she tried to stay dignified and muster a glare through the pain. She would not show any weakness, it was beneath her station. She followed his shifting eyes as they scrutinized here awkwardly stretched hands, glance sliding over every cut and trail of blood. His face contorted into something akin to self-interested worry as he stretched his left hand to check her pulse and breathing. "I guess I could untie your hands to let them heal for a while, after all, it would not do for a representative to see you in this state. They'd accuse us of torture when you obviously did this to yourself" he concluded in an annoyed manner, clearly preferring the idea of letting her die slowly. "But I warn you, one false move and I will kill you" and, as he spoke, he started to slowly separate the wires from the welts on her skin. The pain made her mask crack, face contorting in a visible flinch, but she was somewhat grateful for the gesture even if he was just ensuring his own hide. If she'd die without speaking with a representative, a war would break loose between the two factions. Not that it would bother her because, in her view, this was exactly what this coward, weakness-encouraging world needed. For a hunter who obviously hated their kind more than others and who had plenty reasons to treat her as trash and let her suffer, he was surprisingly calm and patient, almost too refined for your average, callous hunter. Then again, he might just have been nobility for those trigger-happy mongrels who called themselves Hunters. Or maybe, although she seriously doubted it, the person who'd changed him had not been as cruel as she'd been. There was such a possibility; after all, life was full of twists of status and situations. One never knew where he'd find himself next.

"This is it, now be a good pureblood and lay still" he cooed, waking her from her musings "you wouldn't want for your legs to suffer the same treatment" he then reasoned. "I will be back in a few hours, princess" at that title, he bowed elegantly but mockingly "to check up on you" he completed the sentence. And, with that, the only spot of colour left her to rot in this white hell.

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: So, what do you think? Please review and let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters belonging to the manga._

**Author's note**:Hello,everyone! I know I promised to be more alert in my posting of new chapters, but an error occurred whilst writing this one. The story ended up evolving towards a whole different concept than what I had in mind, and I was too engrossed in it to be able to stick to the actual story. But, I'm back and ready to write!( hopefully I'll manage to find enough free time) So, gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!*bows*

Word count: 3,541

_**Chapter 2: Bones**_

_Motto_: "Did you know that human bones last forever? "

The sound of sandpaper roughly scraping across bones echoed through the hallways, startling several dirty, red-eyed rats into a frenzy as they feasted upon the corpse to whom the prized body part had belonged. An eerie silence enveloped the macabre scene of two figures cradled in a corner, one holding the other intimately to her chest as she rested her lips upon a rapidly bleeding gash. The predator's long dark wisps fanned out on the cold cement floor underneath them as the shorter fringes clung to the much more younger pray's crimson covered shoulder and neck.

"Please more, take more" were the murmured pleas escaping the level E's lips. Her facial muscles contracted into a smile as faint as her presence, as if to remind her gentle tormentor that she'd once lived, loved, laughed, that she'd once been someone's most precious being, yet it was clear that her only desire was to be devoured, to fall in the oblivion that only death could bring her. Again and again, like a mantra, she repeated her request, eyelids dropping lower and lower until the older, red-eyed woman extracted her fangs from her neck, watching the body of her victim turn to ashes. She smiled, eyes turning back to a greenish-brown, irises now almost divided between the two colours which would never blend.

"They are closer" she said whilst turning to the man who, after hearing her, stopped shortly to gaze her in the eye. He was studying her uninterestedly, seemingly deciding if he should dignify her with a response. In the end, he posed a calm yet threatening question:"Why did you bleed her dry? I thought I'd instructed you to ensnare her for my masterpiece, did I not? And yet you managed to again destroy such precious material." Of course, he cared not for the hunters and the possible threat they may pose, but for his Masterpiece. 'How typical', thought the aristocrat.

"She wanted to be entirely consumed, my liege" was her calm answer as she peered upon his handy work. The long, creamy white fibula was almost perfectly shaped, except for a small mar near the lateral malleolus, which indicated that the bone had been injured sometime during the victim life. 'So that's what annoyed him' she concluded mentally. But she didn't manage to address the situation as, in an instant, the woman had been pressed flat against the wall behind her, a clawed hand taking purchase of her throat whilst another pressed her chest unyieldingly, with the clear intention of crushing her ribcage. She could feel her bones cracking under the tremendous pressure.

"I instructed you to keep her" was his reply as the pureblood loomed over his impassive pray. She knew that if it'd please him to kill her, Edgar would have done it a long time ago. It thrilled Monica to know that he regarded her differently than the rest of this world.

"I should devour you or, better yet, leave you food for those hunter mongrels coming this way" he mouthed as he planted his mouth on the aristocrat's neck. "Would you like that?" he inquired menacingly. At those words, the woman laughed, crystalline sound devoid of any real humour, and eyed him uncaringly as she grabbed his hands and pushed them off her bruised skin. "Don't make empty threats" she said whilst tending to her annoyingly small front fringes soaked in almost-caked blood. "I'd wanted her, do you have a problem with that?"

Hearing her tone, he started chuckling darkly: "You almost sound like one of my _dead_ ex-wives" he said as he turned his back to the noble and resumed his project.

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><p>Six silhouettes walked through the dimly-lit corridors, inspecting the area cautiously for any hidden passages. They headed deeper into the catacomb-like structure, putting an increasingly large distance between them and their only escape: that sewer which had its entrance barred by a rusty door... if they'd known what awaited them, they would have broken into a sprint right at that moment... Alas, they had a mission.<p>

Suddenly, Zero wordlessly signalled his team members to stop and reactivate their tactical headsets as their outside source was transmitting information. Immediately, a calm female voice made itself present through their newly established channel: "Alpha check, you are 15 meters away from a three-way split and approaching."

The leader waved his hand wordlessly for them to advance and the team started stealthily moving ahead. Indeed, they were where the radar had pin-pointed their position. "Affirmative, request permission to split the team in three two-man cells" was the ex-human's response for their operator. Five sets of eyes warily turned towards him, obviously afraid of such a move inside a vampire nest with confirmed violent population. But their leader's eyes had gained a steely resolve; clearly, no bargaining would sway him. He was a Kiryuu after all.

"Roger that, I'd advise against pursuing this path as we've yet to establish an accurate heat signature for the entire building. A foreign aura seems to be blocking our readings. Additional information shall be transmitted when gained. That is a continue dry. I repeat, continue dry." Was the monotonous answer of their bored operator. Damn! They'd hoped she'd not give him the go, yet she'd just done the opposite! Anyone knew that if Kiryuu-sama was not given clearance by the higher-ups, he would just take the responsibility himself and pursue their target nonetheless.

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><p>Without another word, Zero signalled for Sousuke and Yuugi to take the north-western wing of the underground tunnels in search of any living victims or threats and waved permission for Sai and Mariko to scour the north-eastern halls. All that remained was for him and Kaito to go straight ahead, through the northern door. He decided against urging the others towards extreme cautiousness. They were pretty frightened as it was, no need to add gas to the fire. He faintly wondered what would their reaction have been if he'd informed them of his assumption that there must be a pureblood around. At that idea, he started to silently chuckle to himself. Poor hunters, they were like sitting ducks. Well, all but Takamyia...<p>

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><p>"They have breached the barrier but also split up. Shall I put the plan into motion?" of course the answer would be affirmative, that was what he'd instructed her, but still, she had to obey vampire customs and etiquette. She glanced at him almost curiously, pupils dilated due to her the spiralling thoughts of fresh blood not very far from her grasp<em>. 'Just an affirmative, just one word and I'll be sinking fangs deep into hunter flesh... how tempting,'<em> she mused darkly. However, he was still engrossed in his work, gleefully muttering under his breath the word '_forever'_, a mantra for his endeavours.

"Sir? " she asked almost uncertainly, thinking that she'd once more lost him in one of his macabre fantasies. And, sure enough, Edgar turned towards her, eyes almost dripping crimson and, as soon as he could acknowledge her, posed the question which had first incited his insanity over forty years ago: "Did you know that human bones, unlike a vampire's which turn to dust at his death, last forever? That these creamy white pieces belonging to the fascinating puzzle of a human's body can outlive even a pureblood?" Hearing his question, the woman could do nothing but sigh in dismay. It was moments like these when Monica felt hopelessness envelop her, when she was almost sure her master was completely gone, devoured by this obsessive _monster_.

Knowing that there was no conversing with this beast, she quickly disappeared into the darkness enveloping the corridors, the sound of her dark hair swishing in the strong draft mixing with his deranged murmurs. He'd not noticed that she'd left but that was just as well as she could not face him when he was like this. Maybe, when she'd return, he would have regained his sanity. Soon enough, he completely forgot about her, the only reminder being the echo of her black stilettos clinking on the pavement.

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><p>Sai and Mariko were slowly advancing towards the end of a corridor when the woman stopped and asked her partner: "Did you hear that, Sai? It sounded like...high-heels "she said, clearly confused as to why such a sound would be present in this place. It wasn't like level Es wore footwear. The man halted, concentrating on his surroundings for a few quiet seconds in which Mariko waited with baited breath for the faint sound to re-emerge. Then, turning to his counter-part with a condescending smile, he mouthed between closed teeth: "You're insane, woman. I can't hear a thing. And who would wear high-heels in a sewer or whatever this is? Level E's?" he scoffed, turning ahead and starting to walk again. Suddenly, the faint, almost non-existent sound of stilettos hit his eardrums. Stunned, he turned to talk to the woman, but abruptly realised the he was <em>alone<em>. There was nobody in the corridor with him.

"Mariko?" he whispered, slightly alarmed "are you trying to sneak up on me again?"

No answer.

"Cut it out, woman, you're gonna get us both killed!" he shouted, full-blown panic making him forget that he was, indeed, inside a vampire nest. Looking ahead, he noticed a figure. "Mariko?" he asked, a little uncertain about the identity of the creature.

Taking a few steps, he realised that the presence had a woman's curves. He exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding. "How did you manage to get past me that easy?" he asked, in the mood for jokes, now that he'd been reassured that it was his fellow hunter. After all, if it would have been a level E, it would have pounced on him already.

There was something wrong with his partner though, he realised as he got closer and was greeted by a pair of sangria eyes gleaming in the dark. Sai unconsciously took a step back, preparing to take out his shotgun. However, he found himself frozen in place, those animalistic orbs captivating him, ensnaring his mind. Soon, his every thought had been swept away by the image of those eyes. They infected his mind, much like a powerful poison, paralysing him, forcing him to renounce his free-will.

"Hello, human."

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><p>Zero's eyes analyzed the area, as if deciding whether to go deeper into the catacombs or not. This structure was much bigger than they'd first assumed but, being built underground and its presence having been attested only briefly, it was no surprise that they'd misjudged its vastness .And then there was the problem of not having encountered any level E's yet. This was unlike any other situation previously encountered while raiding nests. They were certain that there were over 10 level E's on the premises, yet this place was eerily silent. Last, but not least, about a week ago he'd had to visit Kuran's castle for a refill on his blood-tablets and he'd eaves-dropped on Aido and Kain who, at that time, were discussing a rumour about the infamous Edgar de Valois, a six hundred years old insane pureblood who'd been ravaging through Europe's human and vampire population for the past twenty years.<p>

Seeing as he considered that collecting information from the enemy was beneficial regardless of the fact that said enemy was dangerous or not, he didn't comprehend why he should have been polite and give the nobles some privacy. And anyways, he'd found out that the blood-sucking leech had retreated to Japan to hide from the European Vampire Senate, who'd put a bounty on his head. He knew for a fact that during the war many dormant purebloods had been awakened, leading to an over-population of this segment in their society. This in turn resulted in a double conflict: between hunters and vampires and amongst different factions lead by purebloods. The Senate's Elders, seeing as the former conflict was only detrimental to the whole war effort, decided to legalise the killing of purebloods, as long as they were deemed demented and dangerous for society. This way, the struggle for power within Europe could be controlled and even diminished. A wanted nobles list was thus issued. The House of Valois contributed to the list with its lord - who just so happened to be at the top, among conspirators who'd tried to turn the entire human population into level E vampire slaves.

Aido and Akatsuki were actually worried that the pureblood may have taken residence on their King's territory, and they had just cause to be wary of such a thing. A pureblood, no matter how deranged, was a force to be reckoned with.

The moment Zero had heard about this recently discovered nest, he'd decided to participate in this mission, simply because he was almost 100% sure that it was a cover-up for de Valois' business. If it weren't the case, Kuran would surely have taken care of it a long time ago. Zero was willing to bet his month's salary that the only reason why Kuran had allowed this transgression was that a direct fight with a pureblood was just too dangerous, mostly because he would have had to carry the battle alone. So he had informed the Hunter Association, hoping that they would guarantee enough a distraction for him to operate. But Kiryuu wasn't about to let the 'King' gain even more power by killing another pureblood. 'No, this one is mine', Zero had thought grimly.

The sound of rat claws scraping the floors alerted Zero's senses right before a very aggressive aura constricted his movements, willing him to kneel. A noble-class vampire was approaching him and Kaito. So, indeed, the level E attacks were a cover-up to turn the eyes away from the real inhabitants of this construction. He motioned for his partner to stop and prepare for an incoming, possibly aggressive target. He didn't need to explain himself as Kaito knew he could feel vampires faster. Being a vampire yourself did have its perks. Zero considered contacting his other crew members via mouthpiece but decided against it in the last minute. What good would it do? If he and Takamiya couldn't bring whatever was coming their way down, the others surely were as good as dead.

Zero pulled his trusty Bloody Rose while watching Kaito unsheathe a katana exuding a strange purple light, being imbedded with hunter magic. They both took a fighting stance while walking ahead with measured steps.

Catching a glint of _something_, Zero fired a shot yet, as soon as the bullet left for its trajectory, whatever he had seen vanished in thin air. _It_ was close, and _it_ appeared to be toying with them. Zero gritted his teeth in annoyance and glanced back at his partner, making sure the other was indeed safe. Kaito seemed unscathed, yet his pupils were enlarged due to a bout of panic. It took Zero a few seconds to realise that he was signalling him to look ahead.

Sure enough, before him stood a tall woman, gleaming green eyes the only feature Zero could distinguish in the engulfing darkness. He gazed directly, bravely in those shifting pools of intense green-hazel that morphed into crimson in certain areas. She surely had no good intentions.

"Hello mister vampire hunter" she said breezily "do you have an appointment with my master?"

She sketched a deceitfully peaceful smile, obviously mocking the two stunned men, beckoning them to answer. Zero quickly pointed Bloody Rose in her face, deciding to blow her brains out while he still had a chance, but found himself incapable of pulling the trigger. Her jolly eyes lowered to slits, gaining a hard, threatening edge: "You know you can't approach my master with that _thing_" she said disgustedly. Her features gained a sadistic twist. "Well, shall I escort you two?"

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><p>The first thing that Zero's senses picked up when he awoke was the slight smell of calcium particles in the air. And then he felt it. Overwhelming. The suffocating presence of a pureblood in the room made the hunter's eyes glow red in pain. He could also feel his team mates around. They'd been captured too. 'Perfect, this is just perfect. Now we're all stuck in this situation. And who will "rescue" us? The bastards took our communication devices too.' Their operator would probably have a laugh at this.<p>

Almost instantly, Zero felt the oppressive aura shift closer. The beast was approaching. He'd probably noticed that Zero was awake, which was _bad_. The hunter struggled to get a grip of reality because, currently, his hearing and eyesight felt like they'd been encompassed in black velvet. Whatever the noble had done to him, it was pretty effective. The anti-vampire binds around him seemed to sap all the energy from his body, leaving him weak. He tried to move, but all was in vain. Then, an exterior power zapped through him, almost over frying his delicate awareness. A hand touched his shoulder. This was followed by a hard slap on his left cheek, clawed fingers ripping his flesh. The bastard had backhanded him!

The pureblood brought his left hand to his lips and tasted the level D's surprisingly fragrant blood. Zero shuddered unaware, reigning in his fear. Whatever the bastard had planned for him, right now he couldn't fight against it. His only chance to survive lay in the pureblood's reluctance to instantly pulverise him. He needed to buy time for his mind to catch up with reality.

A minute later rough fangs plunged into his neck, bringing back a whisper of the fear that'd once gripped him when he was bitten by Shizuka as a child. His heart sped up, survival instincts kicking in as he tried to pry himself from that leech. A small, almost childlike laughter echoed in his head as he failed to get away, mocking his ineptitude.

'_I will come for you and, when I do, be ready little man. Grow and let the hatred within you blossom. Hate me and... be ready...'_ that had been the request of his 'master'. A bidding that still haunted him from time to time, as the cold tendrils of hatred wrapped tighter still around him. 'No, I have to focus! There's no use in losing yourself in memories... ' he chastised himself. Yet the image of a beautiful creature dressed in a white kimono and walking confidently towards him still appeared in his mind's eye. Then, that image blended with the memory of a savage beast drenched in his blood, slowly destroying his life. 'No, this isn't real!' he screamed to his perpetrator whilst struggling to get a better grasp of reality, to pull away from the fangs embedded in his neck which were draining him to the point of hallucinating. Feeling him regain consciousness, the pureblood ruthlessly crushed the hunter's left shoulder, delivering enough pain to make him black out again.

A shock ran through Zero's body, the pain excruciatingly invading his mind, making him let go of his frail grasp of reality. The nightmare once more took hold of his mind, plunging him into a world of despair whose main actor was Shizuka Hiou, glancing down at him with red eyes and protruding fangs, beautiful face bathed in blood. He felt himself once more captured by her hypnotizing image, lulled by her insane coos. The hunter felt that he was forgetting something yet, at the moment, the bizarre image of his blood dripping down _her_ chin kept his mind more than occupied. He once more felt the animalistic urge to lick his own blood from her neck and plunge his human teeth in the pale column. He felt a nagging pain in his shoulder yet he ignored it in favour of hatefully glaring at the beautiful monster cradling him in her arms. Wait, when did Shizuka injure his shoulder?

Suddenly, de Valois realised that the body below him was stirring, the person fighting for consciousness again. 'How bothersome', he thought 'maybe I should bleed him dry'. As he planted his face near the previous bite area two vines formed from the drying blood on his victim's neck and clothes, slithering around his neck and shoulders. "Oh, I see you have a-" but he didn't manage to finish as a pair of clawed hands clamped themselves around his head and shoulder, twisting his head sharply to the right. De Valois' spinal chord popped audibly, bringing a painless death in its wake. The creature then ran his nails roughly across the dead man's neck, causing blood to gush out sluggishly from the new wounds. Zero, although unconscious, latched on to the injured neck, survival instincts kicking in. He barely managed a few mouthfuls, when the pureblood's body cracked, dissolving into millions of shards which peacefully filled the air.

Zero slowly opened his eyes, pure blood helping him replace the lost vital energy and heal his wounds. His body suddenly freed from the noble's powers, he gazed up to his "saviour". Even in this darkness, the hunter could determine the presence's identity for there was only one man who possessed this figure and aura. Snarling, Zero felt his name roll scornfully, almost involuntarily from his lips: "Kuran."

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: And Kaname has entered the scene.(Shouldn't there be a "dun dun duuun" right about here?) XD Sorry for the cliffy...this is all I managed to save from my yaoi-induced writing spree... Now, onwards! And do graciously leave comments, pretty please.


	3. Chapter 3

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any of the characters pertaining to the manga or anime._

**Author's note**: Hello again! I'm back( and partially on time for a change...-did not expect that-). This chapter is more of an interlude since my fullproof was unavailable(so sorry for any spelling errors) and it's somewhat shorter than what I usually write... Anyways, I hope you like it.

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><p><strong><em> Chapter 3: Interlude<em>**

He struggled to open his eyelids, body strangely uncooperative for a change. Darkness loomed around the edges of his vision, calling him back into the recesses of his unconscious mind. Yet he struggled against the eerie feeling of distant distress enveloping his body.

He slowly raised a hand to his eyes to protect himself from the upcoming onslaught of light and opened his them .He then realized that the dim light touching his cheeks was actually artificial, thus it was night-time. Was he still in the pureblood's layer? How much time had passed? He asked himself, distraught and unaware of his surroundings. A calm, soothing aura invaded his senses, lulling him into a tranquil state, yet the presence's smell bothered Zero for he knew the owner of that cologne. In an instant, he recalled the events that had just recently transpired. He involuntarily snarled, realizing that his shoulder had picked that exact moment to start throbbing in pain again. 'Great' he thought sarcastically, while employing all his remaining strength to level himself from the bed without hurting his injured shoulder blade.

He gazed at the alert form in front of him, mouthing a tired "Kuran" as acknowledgement. He clearly was aggravated, yet too exhausted to do anything about it, his attitude mirroring the one of upmost contempt he used to reserve for him during their teen years. That demeanour seemed to freeze Kaname's attempt at being civil, adding a layer of distance between them. Zero could feel the temperature in the room dropping a few degrees due to the pureblood's aura. Catching a glimpse of the approaching calm, deathly pale face, Kiryuu could not stop himself from saying: "You should catch some sun, Kuran". Both men steeled, at a miss as to how to react to the statement. Zero watched, fascinated, as the shock caused Kaname's composure to give way, revealing surprised, widened eyes and a pair of ghostly pink lips parting to form, as of yet, incoherent sounds.

"Zero, what-" but Kaname recovered quickly, eyes glinting with mirth "What are you suggesting, that I walk out in the blaring sun?" he asked graciously. "Never mind, Kuran" was his dismissive answer. But, underneath the indifference, Zero realized that he felt disappointed at the pureblood's quick recovery for he'd seemed so human in those few instants. Deciding to pick up where he'd left off, the hunter inquired: "More importantly, where am I, and why am I here?"

"Well, you fainted from the injuries and the amount of pure blood you drank. Your body's way of mending and adjusting, I surmise." Seeing the unvoiced question in Zero's eyes, he quickly added: "I left Seiren to take care of your hunter friends, take them to the Hunter Association. As for where you are, this is one of my apartments near Osaka. I hope you understand that I had no choice but to take you with me, you were in quite an aggressive state, fangs bared and all" he calmly finished, despite Zero's disapproving face.

"Always the gracious gentleman, Kuran" the hunter remarked sarcastically "and, if this is an apartment," he elaborately gestured whilst regarding the huge, tastefully decorated living area "then you, of all people, need an eyes check-up."

"Well, just because you still live in a matchbox doesn't mean the rest of the world does" Kaname responded aloofly, easily falling into their normal banter. Zero's eyes lowered to slits after that insult, mouthing a weary "you bastard" to the pureblood. Kaname just smiled, pleased that the hunter was too tired to actually throw some stinging expletives his way. He would have loathed having to haul a pissed off and disoriented hunter on the streets, especially since the man was still injured. And he had some free time anyway. Yuki would have said this was a good thing, especially considering he hadn't had any contact with humanity in a while. If anything, Zero still retained those traits oh so specific to humankind, his fiery attitude being the first thing that came to mind. Kiryuu may not always have been pleasant, but he was a respectable hunter a reluctant aid in his endeavors regarding Yuki and hostile purebloods.

"Coffee or tea?" he offered whilst surveying the Zero's awareness. "Coffee" the hunter answered, righting his hunched posture when he realized that the pureblood was checking up on him. 'Mustn't show any more weakness to the bastard' he thought wearily.

Kaname disappeared behind a door, probably going to fetch the coffee. Zero noted the antique, scattered furnishings around the room, the high, Victorian style ceiling. Everything was at least two hundred years old, he realized uncomfortably. He fidgeted on the couch, trying to adjust his position so that his shoulder would give him a respite and anxious due to the long time Kuran was taking. After a while, the pureblood waltzed back in to the room, two steaming hot cups of freshly brewed coffee in tow. Receiving his cup, Zero muttered a low 'thanks' and, with one hand, pulled a pack of cigarettes from the jacket's inner pocket, gently hitting its bottom ,his left arm staying as still as possible. Cigarettes always calmed his muscle, which was why he grabbed one between his lips and lit it, disregarding Kuran's dirty look. Despite his disapproving glare, Kaname materialized an ashtray on the low coffee table next to the couch. Zero smiled ruefully, lighting the fag, inhaling a few times and then taking a sip of his hot beverage.

Kaname sat on the chair parallel to Zero holding the hot mug tightly between his hands, not at all bothered by the scalding heat. As the minutes passed and the silence stretched between them, Kaname grew more and more impatient with the way Zero was making a point to ignore him completely, purposefully avoiding eye contact and adamantly keeping his mouth shut. He'd imagined the hunter would say **something**, not just lie there, like a child throwing a tantrum because the big bad pureblood snatched him away. He took in a deep breath and mouthed a "Well, this is awkward" under his breath, watching Zero gaze out the window. The other man turned his head around, responding with a sarcastic "you think?" to the pureblood's remark. Kaname chuckled, amused by the hunter's antics, igniting Zero's anger.

"What's so funny, blood-sucker?" he asked, rolling his eyes when Kuran started downright laughing.

"Your awkward reactions, Zero. We've known each other so long, one would thing you'd have gotten used to me. I distinctly remember you sitting next to me at Yuki's wedding and you didn't seem to have a problem with me then. Or were you just so broody that you didn't notice me? " he teased, hoping to provoke Zero into a reaction.

"Well, if the two of us were so chummy," he said annoyed "then you wouldn't have used me to kill de Valois. And why the hell didn't you just kill him yourself? Afraid to get your hands dirty?" Kaname smiled, eyes sharpening with anger as his aura started unconsciously suffocating the hunter. "I thought that you could handle it on your own, hunter."

Their eyes met, both now angry and quite itching to strangle each other. Zero put out his cigarette and placed his mug on the coffee table. Both men stood up. "Bastard" Zero hissed, ready to lunge at the pureblood despite his injured arm. Kaname simply increased his glare, unaware that his aura was affecting the hunter and forgetting that he was still healing. The silver haired man felt himself starting to faint due to lack of oxygen, but didn't back down from the childish glaring contest. A few seconds later, Zero collapsed over the small coffee table. Kaname paled, instinctively trying to catch him but failing by a hair's breadth .He'd forgotten that Zero was still weakened by the loss of blood…

Kaname stood there, horrified, arms stretched towards the unconscious man, frozen on the spot and suddenly feeling very guilty. He shouldn't have lost his temper; it was just that Zero always knew just how to gnaw at his pureblood pride. Hearing the man moan in pain and realizing his shoulder joint had once again popped, resting at a weird angle on the table, Kaname quickly kicked back into gear. He forcefully suppressed his aura and hoisted the man, careful not to grab him by his injured limb and placed him on the sofa.

"I'm sorry" the pureblood whispered remorsefully to the pale and hardly breathing hunter.

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><p>The next time he woke up, Kaname had left his side, yet he could feel him in the room. He raised himself, careful of his injury, back pressed on plush cushions that the pureblood had obviously placed there. He'd also placed his shoulder back in its socket.<p>

And, sure enough, Kaname was at his desk, dividing his attention between a laptop and some documents. Feeling himself being watched, the pureblood raised his eyes to greet a sober hunter.

"What happened?" Zero asked, voice rasping due to tiredness and shortness of breath. "You fainted" was the other's obviously guilty answer. Zero's eyes widened a fraction, but quickly recovered saying "It wasn't your fault, I am responsible for what happened just as much as you". Kaname noticed that his eyes were dropping due to extreme fatigue. For a second, it seemed as the businessman was about to say something. Instead, he quickly rose from his chair and sat next to Zero, eyes lingering on the barely mending broken shoulder. "Zero-kun, would you allow me to heal you?" the pureblood enquired, mentally smacking himself for not thinking his offer through. He'd already done enough, of course the other would refuse him. The silver-haired man eyed him tiredly, self –deprecating smile on his discolored lips. "I still hate you, you conceited bastard...but fine, no funny moves though!" The pureblood smiled somewhat awkwardly, amused by the contrast between his stinging words and the indirectly approving attitude. His hands flew almost instantly to the injured shoulder, watching the hunter's face for any sign of discomfort. Zero hissed and cursed silently as the pureblood worked his magic, green light seeping beneath the skin, in his very pores, to his flesh and bones, healing him, soothing the pain.

"You should rest, Zero" the pureblood cut his guest off before he could maybe thank him. The hunter still wanted to say something to the pureblood but Kaname didn't want to hear it, and almost instantly pressed his lips on the other's forehead in order to induce him a sleeping fit. As he righted himself, he realized that the hunter's eyes hadn't had time to close in his haste to induce a deeper state of sleep and that, ironically, the man's last expression of consternation was plastered on his face, widened lilac eyes staring off in space, probably shocked by the pureblood's gentle gesture. Kaname chuckled, somewhat endeared by the almost scared expression. It was as if Kiryuu had been presented with a surprise attack of some kind. Kaname closed the man's eyelids, fingers ghosting over frowning eyebrows and widened eyes, only to rest for a while on pale lips and slightly cold nose. Even ready to jump at his throat, Zero Kiryuu still retained that certain handsomeness that'd made even the Hiou queen want him.

Kaname's phone rang, at first quietly but increasing in volume. With a start, the pureblood realized he'd been staring, hand caressing the hunter's face. He hastily fished the phone from the desk and, as a finger went to press the answer button, he could feel his cheeks heating up, blood pooling under the tender skin. Damn the hunter! Damn him to hell!

"Moshi, moshi, Shiki…" the pureblood answered, happy for the distraction from Zero's sleeping form.

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><p>When Zero woke up, Kaname was nowhere in sight. In fact, his senses told him that he wasn't even in the building. Kaname had left Zero alone in the house and gone to do God-knows-what, probably plan the demise of yet another member o f his species. And even if Kiryuu didn't agree with his choice of conduct, on one side promoting peace and coexistence whilst, on the other, working to eradicate potentially dangerous vampires, he begrudgingly had to give the pureblood some credit for making his job a little bit easier, the conceited bastard! At least he didn't have to face the man and have an awkward conversation about…. whatever it was that the man had done to get him to rest. Then again, he'd like to stick around in order to tear that manipulative vampire a new one for whatever stunt he'd pulled this time. After all, it wasn't the first time he had to take the blame for the other, but he supposed that it was better this way.<p>

Hastily grabbing the contents of his pockets which had been so _graciously_ emptied by the pureblood, Zero threw on his trench coat and headed out the door, keen to get as far away as he could, as fast as he could.

Elsewhere, Kaname rode in the back of a limousine, thoughtful and wary of returning to his home. He'd just had a meeting with the pureblood Isaiah Tanaka, which had went well, with the sole exception that something seemed off with the man. Along with the courteous invitation to his runway (which apparently Yuki would be participating in) addressed at the end of the official gathering with the council, there had been an uncharacteristic anxiousness etched onto the blonde's features. He'd known the man for a long time and, even in more dire times, he'd never seen him so fidgety. Well, maybe there'd been a time…..but that'd been so long ago.

The limousine came to a stop at a red light and, for a second, Kaname felt mortification rise inside his chest thinking that the car had reached its destination. He knew he'd have to face Zero, but prayed for any type of graspable delay. _Just not __**right **__now_. Not when he himself couldn't make sense of his actions or thoughts. But he knew that this reevaluation of their situation was long overdue. Too long had he regarded Kiryuu as a mere pawn in his game because, truth be told, the reality had evolved into something drastically different from what he thought would happen. First was Yuki and her….choice of lifestyle, and then there was Zero, the changes the young boy had endured. The man had surpassed his expectations, managing to somehow thrive in his daily adverse conditions. He was now a force to be reckoned with and an impossible individual to manipulate. But, most importantly, he'd become a very valuable asset, a desired ally and, dare he say, a friend? Sure, there were still some nasty words sprouting from his mouth, and Kaname doubted that wouldn't change as long as they deliberately kept information from each other, but the man was far more civil than when their relationship had started. He'd attacked him with a butter knife, for God's sake! There was nowhere else to go than up from that point.

What he couldn't understand was the reason why, when he'd felt their partial bond flare up, signaling that Zero was in danger, he'd reacted so uncharacteristically rash, practically abusing his pureblood powers to rush and save the man. At that time, when he was projecting his presence towards the source of distress, there had been no doubt whatsoever that he **had** to do it , that it was the right move to only one possible outcome- Zero's safety. And, worst of all, he couldn't rationalize the fact that he now felt guilty for a perfectly rational move, bating the hunter into taking the other pureblood on and, consequentially, getting him injured.

The car stopped and, with thoughts of elegantly avoiding an awkward conversation in order to discuss an alliance, Kaname stepped out of the car, determined to get the man to sympathize with his cause. Or at least forgive him.

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><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: And finally, a chapter revolving around our main pair:P So, did you like it? Too short? Too long? As always, thanks for reading and please review.


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